Buddhism and Christianity Midterm #2

Mādhyamikas

school within Mahayana school; everyone accepts Mahayanna scripture but differs on interpretation of other scripture

Nāgārjuna (c. 150–250)

important madhyamnika philosopher who believed in the absence of intrinsic nature.

Doctrine of Emptiness

1. no self and emptiness

2. Intrinsic existence

3. dependent arising

No-Self

anātman

Emptiness

śūnyatā

Intrinsic Existence

svabhāva

Dependent-arising

pratītya-samutpāda

the two truths

1. ultimate

2. conventional

Ultimate

(paramārtha)

Conventional

(saṃvṛti)

Examples of Madhyamaka

1. The Refutation of Independent Nirvāṇa

2. The Refutation of Causality (‘Diamond Slivers’)

3. The Refutation of Self (‘Seven-Point Reasoning’)

7 part reasoning

1. Nothing that exists

   1. Is other than its parts

   2. Is the same as its parts

   3. Posses its part

   4. Depends on its parts

   5. Supports its part

   6. Is the collection of its part

   7. Is the shape of its parts

Asaṅga (c. 310–390)

• One of the founders of Yogacara

• Really good debater; represents the beginning of “arm extended” debate practices

Yogacara Idealism

• Fundamental constituents have to do with the mind, not with matter, space, or time. All of these are experiences of the mind

• Everything we experience is representation

Yogacara Meditation

1. stabilizing

2. analytic

Insight

vipaśyanā

Yogacara and Meditation

1. The Compatibility of Meditation and ‘Analysis’

2. insight and negation of duality

The Three Natures

trisvabhāva

The three natures

1. constructed

2. dependent

3. perfected existence

The constructed nature

parikalpitasvabhāva

The dependent nature

paratantrasvabhāva

The perfected nature

(pariniṣpannasvabhāva)

The Eight Types of Consciousness

1. Eye-Consciousness

2. Ear-Consciousness

3. Smell-Consciousness

4. Taste-Consciousness

5. Touch-Consciousness

6. Mind (manovijñāna)

7. Tainted mind (kliṣṭamanas)

8. Substratum-Consciousness or “Mind-basis-of-all” (ālayavijñāna)

Mind

(manovijñāna)

Tainted mind

1. (kliṣṭamanas)

Mind-basis-of-all”

(ālayavijñāna)

hopeless beings

icchantikas

Qualities of the Tathāgatagarbha

1. Unborn (without beginning)

2. Undying (without end)

3. Peace (calm, rest)

4. Eternal (permanent, unchanging)

5. Intrinsically pure (holy)

6. Possesses all good qualities

7. Ultimate

8.  ‘Self’

Indigenous Chinese Buddhist Schools

1. The ‘Heavenly Terrace’ School (Tiantai) of Zhiyi (538–597)

2. The ‘Flower Garland’ School (Huayan) of Dushun (557–640)

3. The ‘Meditation’ School (Chan) of Bodhidharma (440–528)

4. The ‘Pure Land’ School (Qingtu) of Tanluan (476–542)

Distinctive Features of Eastern Buddhist Schools

1. Adherence to a Single Scripture

2. Adherence to a Central, Primordial Buddha

3. Adherence to a Single Devotional Practice

 ‘Heavenly Terrace’ School

(Tiantai)

‘Flower Garland’ School

(Huayan)

‘Meditation’ School

(Chan)

 ‘Pure Land’ School

(Qingtu)

The Four Levels of Dharmadhātu according to Fazang (643–713)

1. Phenomena (shi)

2. Principle (li)

3. Non-Obstruction of Phenomena and Principle

4. Non-Obstruction of Principle and Principle

Phenomena

shi

Principle

li

Agreement among the Eastern Buddhist Schools

1. Mind-Only

   1. Developed out of Yogacara scripture

2. Tathāgatagarbha as Buddha Nature

   1. Positive readings

3. Single Eternal Buddha-Mind

   1. Not present in India, more prevalent in Japan

4. World as Manifestation

   1. Everything is manifestations of the Buddha

5. Emptiness as the ‘Interpenetration’ of All Things

the truth body

(dharmakāya)

The physical body

(rūpakāya)

The ‘enjoyment’ body

sambhogakāya

The ‘transformation’ body

(nirmāṇakāya)

The wisdom body

(jñānakāya)

The intrinsic body

(svabhāvakāya)

Vajrayāna in Tibet

1. Initiation (abhiṣeka)

2. Incantation (mantra)

3. Ritual Gesture (mūdra)

4. Representations (maṇḍala)

5. Visualizations

6. Manipulation of Bodily Energies

Spiritual Exercises in Tibet

1. Developing Renunciation

2. Developing bodhicitta - spiritual exercises

bodhicitta

spiritual exercises

The Six Perfections in Mahāyāna Buddhism

1. Generosity (dāna)

2. Morality (sīla)

3. Patience (kṣānti)

4. Fortitude (vīrya)

5. Meditation (dhyāna)

6. Wisdom (prajñā)

The Later Dissemination of Buddhism in Tibet (c. 950–1400)

1. Critique of the Old Canon

2. “New Translation” Movements (Gsar ma)

The Early Dissemination of Buddhism in Tibet (c. 650–950)

Royal Patronage and the ‘Ancient Ones’ (Rnying ma)

The First Missionaries

The Pure Land Prophecies of Nichiren (1222–1282)

National Decline in a Degraded Age (mappō)

The Critique of Other Buddhist Schools

Faith as the Only Means of Salvation

Chanting the title of the Lotus Sūtra as the Only Practice

The ‘New Buddhism’ of the Kamakura Period (1185–1333)

1. Jōdo-shū Pure Land, founded by Hōnen (1133–1212)

2. Jōdo-Shinshū, founded by Shinran (1173–1263)

3. Rinzai Zen, founded by Eisai (1141–1215)

4. Sōtō Zen, founded by Dōgen (1200–1253)

5. Nichiren-shū, founded by Nichiren (1222–1282)

6. Ji-shū, founded by Ippen (1239–1289)

Debates about the Tathāgatagarbha

1. Is there something in beings that causes them to desire enlightenment?

2. Is the Tathāgatagarbha potential or actual?

3. Is the Tathāgatagarbha attained or discovered?

4. Is the Buddha the Ultimate Truth?

The Doctrinal Context

1. Can all beings be liberated from saṃsāra? 

2. Are there “hopeless beings” (icchantikas) who can never be liberated?